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Ashes Quote by Simon Norfolk

“[My] pictures are about memory and forgetfulness. The evidence is dissolving. Bones crumble; human ash returns to soil; teeth, sandals, hair, bullets, axes disperse into atoms and molecules. Footprints in the snow will be erased by the next storm. The evidence of evil, like the evidence of good…” quote by Simon Norfolk
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“[My] pictures are about memory and forgetfulness. The evidence is dissolving. Bones crumble; human ash returns to soil; teeth, sandals, hair, bullets, axes disperse into atoms and molecules. Footprints in the snow will be erased by the next storm. The evidence of evil, like the evidence of good, obeys the universal laws of entropy. Heat cools, matter disintegrates, memories fade. If we let them.”

Simon Norfolk

About This Quote

Source Photography Series: "Memory and Forgetfulness" by Simon Norfolk, 2015

The quote reflects on impermanence, how all physical and moral evidence eventually decays due to entropy, emphasizing the fleeting nature of memory and existence.

In simple terms: Everything fades and returns to the earth.

Key Takeaway

Accept change and cherish moments.

Themes

impermanence entropy memory mortality

Mood

melancholic contemplative

Type

philosophical poetic

When to use this quote

  • personal reflection
  • artistic expression
  • historical documentation
  • environmental awareness

Key Concepts

philosophy entropy human condition

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you confront the inevitability of loss?
  • What can we preserve beyond physical forms?
A Different Perspective

It overlooks the human capacity to create lasting cultural legacies despite physical decay.

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